Girls and Their Gossip
by LadeeBear
Summary: When Lizzie returns from Rome, things aren't what she left them as. Kate befriends Lizzie, Miranda dates Larry, and just when she thought that nothing more could surprise her, Lizzie found out that she was wrong.
1. Default Chapter

Hey everyone. This is my first fan fiction, so if you can just let me know what ya think then I will be a very happy young lady!  
  
Hey again. Guess what? I do not own any of Lizzie McGuire. Not even a fingernail. If I did, then tell me what the point would be in writing a fan fiction? I do however, own Roxy, the aunt and uncle, Abbey, and Trevor. But nothing else. ("AN" stands for animated Lizzie) Enjoy!  
  
Lizzie McGuire sat down on her bed on top of the piles of clothes that lined it. She was home. Sighing, she picked up her suitcase and began to neatly organize the heap of clothes that she wore to Rome. Rome. It seemed so long ago, Lizzie thought to herself, when in reality, it was only two days ago. Then, her thoughts seemingly drifted back to the last night in Rome. The night where she preformed in front of thousands of people, where Paolo turned out to be a caniving jackal, and where on a starry rooftop of the hotel, Lizzie kissed Gordo. David Gordon. Her best friend.   
  
"So why do I feel so weird?" Lizzie asked out loud.   
  
(AN-- Well, maybe it is due to the fact that I kissed my best friend. On the lips. In Rome. Gosh, I can be so blond at times.)   
  
There was a knock at her bedroom door as Lizzie brushed back a mass of blond hair. Jo McGuire peeked her head inside the doorframe and smiled at her daughter. In her hand were cookies.   
  
(AN-- Oh great, (stuffs a cookie in her mouth) she knows)  
  
"Hey hun. Can I come in?" Lizzie looks up from her suitcase.  
  
"sure mom." Jo settles herself on Lizzie's bed and looks at her daughter. Lizzie takes a big deep sigh. Jo smiles at her daughter's lack of communication.  
  
"Lizzie, what's wrong, and don't tell me 'nothing'." Lizzie opened her mouth to speak.  
  
(AN-- Well, let's see, I kissed Gordo, and I have no idea why, and now I can't bear to talk to him.)  
  
"Well, let's see mom, while in Rome I kissed Gordo, have no idea why, and now we are both avoiding each other."  
  
(AN-- Hey, good for me! I finally spoke my mind! I deserve another cookie. [eats another cookie])  
  
Jo looked at Lizzie with raised eyebrows. She then removed her glasses and wiped them in light circles on her blouse, all the while, staring into space. She then picked up a cookie off of the plate she was carrying, and took a slow bite. Lizzie sat twisting her hair in her hands. Finally, Jo spoke.  
  
"Well, what do you want me to say Lizzie?"  
  
(AN-- Say that everything will be alright and that it'll all work out okay. Do your mother thing!)  
  
"Okay then. For starters, why do you think I did it?" Lizzie asked. Jo tilted her head to the side.  
  
"Well hun, maybe you sort of have some feelings for Gordo and they were expressed in that action. Maybe it was partially the atmosphere of romance and Rome too." Lizzie took another deep breath, her reaction expressed in her full lungs.  
  
"But how can Gordo and I still be good friends if this is going to be so...awkward?"  
  
"All you can do is talk to him and act like you normally would and then make the best of it." Lizzie nodded, not very much comforted. That did sound easy. But would it actually be easy?  
  
"And if it does help any Lizzie, I couldn't think of any better couple then you two."  
  
"No, that really doesn't help much mom, but thanks for trying." Jo kissed her daughter's forehead and smiled at her.  
  
"It'll be fine Lizzie. You'll see."  
  
(AN-- Now she says it.)  
  
Jo stood up from the bed and placed the cookies on Lizzie's nightstand. She paused under the door.  
  
"Oh Lizzie, I forgot. This might cheer you up. Uncle Ryan, Aunt Sophie and Roxy and Trevor are going to be moving over near us." Lizzie's hazel eyes lit up with renewed enthusiasm. Roxy. Her coolest and most favorite cousin who happened to only be a couple months apart in age from Lizzie. Matt poked his spiky head in Lizzie's room.  
  
"Mom, did you just say that Trevor is going to be moving near us?" Jo nodded her head. Matt's lips curved into a sinister grin as he did a victory dance around the hallway. Lizzie groaned. And with the package of coolest cousin, she also got Trevor, Roxy's annoying little brother who, needless to say, got along quite well with Matt and his company of Lanny and Melina.  
  
"Hey Lizzie, maybe you should give Roxy a call before dinner to chat with her," Jo suggested. Lizzie nodded thoughtfully as her mother closed the bedroom door. Roxy always had the answers.  
  
*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*  
  
"Hello?" questioned a voice on the other end of the line. Lizzie could hear rock music playing in the background.  
  
"Hey Rox. It's me--Lizzie." Lizzie listened intently and heard the music silence in the background and heard the distinct sound of someone flopping onto their bed. Lizzie smiled and knew this sound quite well. Her and Miranda did it all the time.  
  
"Lizzie? Oh my gosh girl! I have missed hearing from you! Did your mom and dad tell you the good news? We'll be going to the same school. I can not wait!" Lizzie nodded, forgetting for the moment that Roxy could not see her.  
  
"Look, Roxy, I've got a dilemma on my hands. Can you give your cousin some advice?" Roxy's voice automatically switched tones. A full rotated turn in tone.  
  
"Liz, you know that you can tell me anything..."  
  
(AN-- And the #1 reason that I love my cousin...)  
  
"...but hold on one second. TREVOR! If you do not put down the hall phone before I drag you into my room and hang you by your spiky little head on my ceiling!"Lizzie heard a click on another line.  
  
"She's done that before you know," Trevor replied.  
  
"TREVOR!!" Lizzie stifled a laugh.  
  
"Alright. Gee Roxy, I'm going." There was another click and the conversation was only the two of them again. Roxy sighed with frustration on the other end.  
  
"Brothers,"she muttered under her breath, as if it were a curse word. Lizzie beamed. Another thing that Roxy could relate to in Lizzie's life.  
  
"Well," began Lizzie, "do you remember Gordo?" There was a pause.  
  
"You mean the cute kid with the curly dark hair?"  
  
"Yup. Good old Gordo"  
  
"Okay, go on Liz."  
  
"So, we went to Rome at the end of last year..." Roxy burst in.  
  
"Whoa! Rome? I'm lucky enough if I can go to Sea World...but whatever. Go on again."  
  
"See, there I was mistaken for a pop princess who could pass for my twin, sang at the IVMA's, and then, on the last night there, I kind of kissed Gordo, on the lips..." Lizzie's voice trailed off. Roxy was silent for a moment and Lizzie began to notice how unusually happy the birds outside of her window seemed to be.  
  
"On the lips, Lizzie?" Lizzie sighed with confusion. It was still hard to believe herself.  
  
"......"  
  
"Rox? Are you still there?"  
  
"Yeah, hold on girl. I am still thinking....well, seems to me that you like Gordo."  
  
(AN-- I could have told you that)  
  
"But what do I do?" Roxy hummed in the background.  
  
"Well, I am going to be down there next week, so just play it cool with Gordo, and when I get there, we will figure something out girl. Okay?"  
  
"Sounds like a plan to me."  
  
"That's the plan." 


	2. It Only Gets Harder

Chapter 2: It Only Gets Harder  
  
Hey everyone. This is my first fan fiction, so if you can just let me know what ya think then I will be a very happy young lady!  
  
Hey again. Guess what? I do not own any of Lizzie McGuire. Not even a fingernail. If I did, then tell me what the point would be in writing a fan fiction? I do however, own Roxy, the aunt and uncle, Abbey, and Trevor. But nothing else. ("AN" stands for animated Lizzie) Enjoy!  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Lizzie poked at her food and felt just a tad bit better after her brief conversation with Roxy on the phone. Matt munched his salad quietly.  
  
(AN-- Quiet? Matt? [shakes head] Those two words do not go together!)  
  
"Son, is something the matter?" Sam McGuire asked. Matt looked up from his food and stared over his plate to Lizzie. Their eyes met.  
  
"Not with me. But something is bugging Lizzie. Major." Lizzie gave her little brother the evil eye. Matt pleaded with his parents.  
  
"Make Lizzie tell me what's wrong." Jo smiled at her son.  
  
"You can't do that, can you?" Lizzie asked hesitantly. Sam shrugged, but Jo slapped her husband's arm.  
  
"No. Sorry Matt. If you want to know so bad then ask Lizzie yourself." Matt smiled angelically at his older sister. Lizzie groaned.  
  
(AN-- I will not tell, I will not tell, I will not...)  
  
"Come upstairs after dinner."  
  
(AN-- Apparently, I will tell)  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Lizzie closed her bedroom door behind her and her brother. But before she could even mutter a sound, Matt began.  
  
"Melina knew. So did Lanny." Lizzie threw a confused look at her brother. That made no sense. Lanny and Melina? They didn't even go to Rome.  
  
"What do you mean 'they knew'?" Matt shrugged and played with one of Lizzie's hair scrunchies, twirling it in his palms.  
  
"When I told them how you had been acting since you got home from your trip, they told me that it had something to do with your emotions. Well, Melina told me that. She is the girl of our group. So, what happened in Rome, besides you kissing Gordo on the last night there."  
  
(AN-- What?! WHat? How did he?...I guess that I underestimated my brother after all. And his friends.)  
  
"Just how did you know that?" Lizzie stammered. Matt flicked the hair scrunchie against Lizzie's door, and turned around to face her.  
  
"Ethan told me," he said matter-of-factly. Lizzie's mouth dropped open.   
  
(AN-- Well, now that Ethan knows...wait. [eyes light up, and suddenly she begins to run around in circles] If Ethan knows then...oh my gosh.)  
  
"Wait, Matt! Does Kate know about this?" Matt paused and thought for a moment.  
  
"Not that I know of, but she will." Lizzie stood up and began to pace.  
  
(AN-- Well, isn't this a lovely way to begin 4 long years of high school?)  
  
"How do you know that Kate will find out?" Lizzie asked. Matt looked at her incredulosly.  
  
"Duh. Cause Kate and Ethan are dating."   
  
(AN-- [spits out her drink] I swear. Nothing more can surprise me.)  
  
"But they fought the entire time in Rome! How can they possibly be going back out?" Matt shrugged.  
  
"They had a good night the last night in Rome. Kate and Ethan are dating. Get over it Lizzie. Besides, you do have someone else to worry about." Lizzie stared at him coolly.  
  
"Sorry. But come on. You and Gordo have to go out. I mean, everyone knew that it would happen some time or another."  
  
"Define 'everyone' please."  
  
"Well, me, mom, dad, Miranda, Kate, Ethan, Melina, Lanny..." Lizzie held up her hands in defense.  
  
"Okay, I get it! But now what do I do Matt," she asked, flopping onto her bed.  
  
(AN-- Whoa. I just asked Matt for advice.)  
  
Matt sat next to Lizize on her bed and pondered the question.   
  
"I think that you should call and talk to Gordo. Think of how he could be feeling too. I mean, you know how confusing this is for you." Lizzie stared at her brother with awe.  
  
(AN-- [holds up baseball glove] Going...going...[catches a ball]...gone. I think that my brother has left the park. This new Matt gave me good advice. Wow.)  
  
"Thanks Matt. You know I always thought that you were just there to annoy and bug me and make my life miserable." Matt opened the door and paused by it, his sinister smile returning again.  
  
"That's just a hobby." he replied, then added. "And we mention this to..."  
  
"No one," Lizzie finished. Matt smiled. They were back to normal bro-sis turf.  
  
Lizzie sighed and stared at a photo of her, Miranda, and Gordo. She pointed accusingly with one finger at Gordo.  
  
"This is all your fault for liking me." Then, she stopped.  
  
(AN-- Or is it my fault?)  
  
"I hate having a love life," Lizzie muttered and buried her head in Mr. Snuggles. "Bet you wouldn't understand though, huh Mr. Snuggles." The little pink pig with the blue ribbon looked up at her with knowing eyes. At least he can understand my life, Lizzie thought to herself.  
  
(AN-- [cuddling Mr. Snuggles] Cause I sure can't. 


	3. First Days Again

Lizzie stared at her reflection in the bathroom mirror. She studied her hair, her outfit, and her face as she made a mental checklist. Everything had to be perfect for high school. There was no half-way decent stuff that could have been pulled off in Hillridge Junior High School. No, this was the big time.  
  
She smiled into the mirror as a loud forceful knock on the door awoken her from the daydreaming. It was Matt's voice that echoed through the bathroom.  
  
"Hurry up Lizzie!" he yelled. Lizzie shrugged. As long as the bathroom door was still locked, there was nothing that even Matt could do about it. She still stared at her reflection and her thoughts drifted to Miranda. The girl had barely been home due to being in Mexico for over a month and then on a cross-country bonding trip with her parents. That atually sounded like something that Gordo's parents would do, rather than Miranda's cool parents.  
  
Gordo. Lizzie had taken Matt's advice (that was a first) and tried to be as cool with Gordo as possible. And, for the most part, it had worked. The two didn't do much together, due to Lizzie's grounding. Yes, even in spite of Lizzie's dilemma at hand, grounding did come. Jo replied with a smile:  
  
"At least you'll have time on your hands to think about this and maybe it will be a blessing in disguise." Lizzie scoffed at that, but actually counted herself lucky for not being able to spend the hours that she would have normally spent with Gordo.   
  
Finally, Lizzie went downstairs, smoothing out her mini-skirt and Abercrombie top. It was time to face the music of high school.  
  
Lizzie walked downstairs and her dad was seated at the table, while Jo placed the phone down. Lizzie pulled out a bagel from the basket in the center of the counter top.  
  
"Who was that?" she asked. Jo replied casually.  
  
"Nothing important. You better head off before you miss the bus and Miranda," she observed, glancing at the clock. Jo planted a kiss on Lizzie's cheek. "Have a great day sweetie." Lizzie smiled and didn't realize how true that would be.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Lizzie approached the bus stop with confidence and she scanned the small crowd for a dark head. Sure enough, she found her best girl friend waiting patiently for the bus. Lizzie screeched, forgetting for the moment that she wanted to be a part of the "high school cool". None of that mattered now.  
  
"Miranda!" The Latina girl turned briskly around with a broad smile. Miranda ran over to hug her best bud.  
  
"Lizzie! I missed you guys so much! Oh my gosh, you just have to tell me all about Rome!" Lizzie nodded with a grin as the bus rolled to a stop where they stood.  
  
(AN-- That should only take...[glances at watch] the next year.)  
  
"So, I am dying to know how your summer was before I spill about mine," Lizzie remarked. Miranda steadied her backpack on her lap and smoothed out her chocolate colored hair.   
  
"Well, Mexico was pretty fun. It is kinda cool to be able to go back once in a while to visit my grandmother." (Author's note: Isn't that why she left? I forgot.) "And it was cool to see all my cousins again."   
  
"Oh my gosh. I forgot. Guess who's cousin is coming to move by us?" Lizzie asked, hazel eyes lit wide. Miranda smiled and nearly jumped out of her seat.  
  
"Roxy?" Lizzie nodded.  
  
"Man Lizzie, that is so cool! So, I am dying over here. How was the whole Rome expierience?" Lizzie smiled secretly.  
  
"Let's see...shared a room with Kate..." Miranda burst in.  
  
"Kate?! Boy, that must have been torture!" Lizzie shook her head.  
  
"Actually, she was kind of...nice. But anyways, I met this guy there...Paolo." Miranda's eyes widened.  
  
"Ooh. Was he cute?" Lizzie held up her hand to continue.  
  
"I was mistaken for an Italian pop star named Isabella who could be my twin. it was so freaky. Then, I found out that Paolo wanted to embarrass me at the IVMA's but Gordo covered for me. Almost got kicked off the trip...for me." Miranda looked at her bangle bracelets and tried to hide her grin from Lizzie's view.  
  
"What?" Miranda looked up and cooed.  
  
"Well, isn't it so obvious why Gordo would do anything for you?" Lizzie sighed.  
  
"That wasn't the end of it. You know, I sang at the IVMA's, kissed Gordo, and got grounded for lying and sneaking out." Miranda looked at her best friend with an incerdulous facial expression.  
  
"You what?" Lizzie flicked a strand of blonde hair away from her face.  
  
"I got grounded?" Miranda nodded.  
  
"Uh-huh. Now back the train up girl. what came before that?"  
  
"I sang at the IVMA's?"  
  
"Before that."  
  
"I kissed Gordo?"  
  
"Yeah, that's it. So, why did you do it?"  
  
Lizzie shrugged. "It was kind of this thing. Like, he helped me out and I returned the favor?"  
  
"By kissing him? Sure. That's how I return my favors." Miranda remarked sarcastically. Lizzie's smile dropped.  
  
"Well, I guess that I do like him, you know?"  
  
"Yeah, I know."  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
"Wow Miranda. Junior high sure is a lot smaller than high school," Lizzie remarked, waltzing through the double doors and into a crowded hallway packed with juniors, sophomores, seniors, and fresh from middle school freshmen.   
  
"It'll sure be hard to find anyone we know in this place," Miranda said over the crowd. Suddenly, they both spotted a curly dark head drifting ahead of them. Lizzie's heart skipped a beat.  
  
(AN-- Wait! [feels heart] Since when does my heart skip when I see Gordo?)  
  
"Gordo!" Lizzie shouted over the noise level. He turned around and flashed the pair a wide smile, aimed directly at Lizzie. Lizzie smiled back and Miranda nearly died from laughing. Gordo balanced a new spiral notebook under his arm as he made his way over to his friends.  
  
Lizzie couldn't restrain herself, and she gave Gordo a big hug. They both stood there embraced in hugs until they noticed another blonde head over the crowd, linked to a brown haired boy. Kate and Ethan. Lizzie pulled Gordo and Miranda out of Kate's path and broke the hug. If Kate saw her and Gordo, it was all over.   
  
"So, McGuire, still chained to your room?" Gordo asked with a friendly smile. Lizzie couldn't help but notice how sweet his smile was and how blue his eyes looked when they sparkled. She actually felt her cheeks redden just looking at him. Then, she began to feel faint, and soon, there was a dark pass over her eyes.  
  
***********************************************************************  
  
So, what happened to Lizzie? Well, read the next chapter and find out!  
  
xoxoxo  
  
LadeeBear 


	4. Oxymorons

Chapter 4: Oxymorons  
  
Lizzie felt the smooth palms of hands on her eyes and curved her mouth into a smile, but then she paused. Who could be behind her? She heard a distinct and calm female voice.  
  
"Guess who?" Lizzie screeched and jumped around to face her cousin. Roxy hadn't changed much. She still had shoulder length strawberry blond hair that curved in towards her face, and playful green eyes. Lizzie hugged Roxy and the two just yelped like little kittens until Gordo interrupted them.  
  
"Are we allowed to say hi too?" Lizzie shrugged with sarcasm.  
  
"If you want to." Gordo smiled and gave Roxy a hug. She studied him and smiled.  
  
"Gordo, you have not changed a bit since I last saw you in middle school!" He grinned. Miranda coughed and Roxy turned and smiled at her.  
  
"Miranda, oh my gosh girl. You look great! I love that top!" Miranda smiled.  
  
(AN-- You have to hand it to Roxy, [tugs at pink shirt] She does know how to give a nice compliment)  
  
"So, Rox, what are you doing here early? I thought you wouldn't be here till next week!" Roxy smiled slyly.  
  
"My parents sent me down here a little earlier. They called your house this morning actually. Your mom said that she would be glad to have me for a week or so." Lizzie's eyes widened in knowledge.  
  
(AN-- And now it all makes sense.)  
  
"So, Lizzie, let's get to class, shall we?" Roxy asked. Lizzie nodded and headed off to begin a neat day with her cousin by her side.  
  
(AN--Watch out Kate! Roxy's here!)  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Lizzie poked at her tray of food for lunch. She then poked Gordo who was seated next to her. She wrinkled her nose.  
  
"You said that the food was better here." Gordo shrugged and poked what looked like macaroni and cheese, but resembled more of rubber than food.  
  
"Maybe it only was better when I was here." Miranda placed her tray down on the table across from Lizzie and was beaming.  
  
"What is it Miranda?" Miranda opened her mouth and then just smiled again.  
  
"I just got asked out!" she cried with happiness. Lizzie patted her best friend's shoulder, reaching across the table.  
  
"Good for you! Who is the lucky guy?"   
  
"Larry." Gordo and Lizzie looked at each other in shock and Gordo began to fake choke on his food. Lizzie slapped his arm.  
  
"What?" he asked innocently. Lizzie tried to form the right words, but it turned out that she didn't need them, becuase across the cafeteria she could see Larry Tudgeman coming their way. She gawked. Larry had changed his old green and khacki wardrobe to a stylish polo shirt and faded jeans. His hair looked combed and he had a bright smile on. Lizzie swore that Gordo couldn't have been more surprised than he was at that moment. Larry sat his tray down next to Miranda's and smiled.  
  
"Hey guys. Long time no see, huh?" Lizzie opened her mouth and no sound came out. This was Larry looking....well, cute.  
  
(AN-- That's it. I have an explanation. Aliens. It could only be that. Yeah, that's it. This isn't Larry, is it?)  
  
"So," he said, turning to face Miranda, "are we still on for the Star Trek convention on Saturday?" Lizzie and Gordo finally touched back to planet Earth again.  
  
(AN-- [flying saucer floating over her head]. Yeah, that's Tudgeman)  
  
Just when that occured, Roxy joined the group and nodded her head towards the cafeteria's enterance.   
  
"I met some people in Geometry today, and they seemed really nice. They're gonna sit with us. Hope you guys don't mind." Lizzie shrugged and nodded. The more the merrier, as her mom would say. But as Lizzie followed Roxy's gaze, she nearly died of a heart attack, or a panic attack. It was no other than Kate Sanders and Ethan Craft. Kate strode to the table with a cute new purse and freshly done nails, probably for the occasion, and flipped back her prefect hair. She smiled at Lizzie.  
  
(AN-- This is it [puts on war helmet] My social life is now officially over, thanks to my cousin)  
  
"Hey Lizzie, Miranda, Gordo, Larry. Oh, thanks for having us sit with you all Roxy!" Kate replied with no sneer, no sarcastic comment, and no cackle.  
  
(AN-- Whoa! Kate---nice? Now there's an oxymoron.)  
  
Lizzie couldn't resist. "Kate, you're not going to blow us off? You actaully want to sit with us, you're actually being nice..?"  
  
(AN--...You're actually human?)  
  
Kate smiled, displaying her perfect white teeth. Everything was perfect about Kate, down to the last toenail.  
  
"Look Lizzie, about all of those years. I was hanging with the wrong crowd, and it showed when I made Varsity squad this year and Claire only made JV. She can have fun being the dragon now, because I am so over it. Don't you guys agree, that was so middle school?" Miranda was appaled, Larry just munched on his cheesy macaroni, Ethan just ate, Lizzie stared, and so did Gordo. Roxy obviously was shocked. She had no idea of the long time rivalry between Kate and Lizzie. Ethan paused and looked over at Lizzie and Gordo for the first time.  
  
"Yo, Gordon, Lizzay. So, are you two like an item now...ya know. Like what happened in Rome?..." Lizzie and Gordo looked down at their plates, and avoided each other's eyes. Kate placed a palm over Ethan's mouth.  
  
(AN-- I never thought this day would come but...thank God for Kate!!)  
  
"Ethan, don't talk with your mouth full, it's impolite," she said with a shaky smile at Lizzie. Lizzie actally smiled back. Truth was, it was kind of cool to have Kate back on the good side.  
  
A wave of pom poms barricaded the table and Lizzie looked up from her food. Claire Miller. Once Kate's sidekick and partner in crime, now the ringleader.  
  
"So Kate, I heard that you made Varsity. Good for you. It's time we needed a new leader around her, and with you off the squad, that means...me. But I still don't understand why you have to crawl back to all of your loser friends. So pathetic. Oops. Did I say that out loud?" Claire asked venomously. "Yeah, I did." Her posse of petty cheerleaders cackled along with her. Kate kept her chin high and even though she looked tough, Lizzie knew that she was on the verge of crying. Lizzie stared Claire square in the eyes.  
  
"Look Claire, why don't you take your maincured, primped up, fake nailed, hairsprayed little posse out of our way. We are trying to eat, but you know we can't on account of the fact that I am getting nausious from all of the perfume." Claire narrowed her eyes and Lizzie arched her back, feeling at least two feet taller thanks to her newfound confidence. But before Claire left, Lizzie stopped her. She had one more thing to say. Something that had been said to Kate in her reign of popularity.  
  
"Hey Claire, don't bother coming back either. We heard that snob is contagious." The cheerleaders let out their pathetic sigh and left without a word of retaliation. Lizzie beamed.  
  
(AN-- That felt so good!)  
  
Kate and the entire table looked over at Lizzie. Quiet, shy, laid back Lizzie who needed defense from Kate herself last year because she couldn't stand up to her. Kate had a shimmer in her eyes that resembled tears.  
  
"Thanks Lizzie. Really, I mean it." Kate said with a small smile. And Lizzie began eating again. She knew that Kate really meant it too. 


	5. The Oreo Group Part 1

Chapter 5: The Oreo Group, Part 1  
  
Author's note-- This is the whole story basically in two parts just becasue I felt like it. Yeah, so now go and read part one. I will get part two to you as soon as I can! I swear!! :)  
  
***********************************************************************  
  
Roxy slumped against Lizzie's locker, a cumbersome biology book in her hands. Lizzie groaned as she twisted her locker combination.  
  
"Why in high school do they seem to think that homework on the first day is appropriate? They never tortured us like this in middle school." Roxy smiled as Miranda and Kate walked up to Lizzie's locker together. Miranda sighed.  
  
"Anyone have Mr. Johanson for Biology?" All the group nodded sadly. Homework on the first day blues were high in the air. Roxy grinned as the group headed out the double doors.  
  
"I call an Oreo Girls meeting at Lizzie's!" Lizzie, Miranda and Roxy began chatting like mad as Kate raised her hand.  
  
"Question. What are the Oreo Girls?" Roxy slapped her forehead and apologized for forgetting Kate. Kate shrugged her acceptance.  
  
"Lizzie and I started the Oreo Girls when we were...well, still girls. It's like our own candy and cookie filled study group. And even though we do most of the homework, it is also a fun-filled session for girl talk!" Kate nodded, listening intently. Lizzie's eyes lit up with an idea.  
  
"Hey Kate, if you aren't busy would you..."   
  
"I would love to! Let me call my mom," Kate finished with glee, flipping open a pink cell phone diecorated with cute red hearts. Miranda eyes drifted to it for a second and Kate noticed. That cell phone cover was trademark cheerleader.  
  
"There are some advantages for hanging out with Claire all those years," she joked, referring to the cell phone. Lizzie laughed as they all walked to Lizzie's--together.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Gordo didn't know why he couldn't keep his mind off of the comment that Ethan made during lunch. 'Why aren't Lizzie and I dating?' he would ask himself time and time again. Larry and Ethan startled him from his thoughts as the trio sat around the Gordon's dining room table. Little did Lizzie and Company know that the guys had a similar Oreo Group, only with pizza.  
  
"So," Larry began, taking a slice of pepperoni from the center pie, "why aren't you and Lizzie dating now?" Gordo eyed him suspiciosly, secretly wondering if Larry could indeed read minds. Gordo shrugged.  
  
"I don't know. I never thought this day would come Ethan, but do you have any advice on this issue?" Ethan looked up from his slice of pizza and looked deep in thought for a moment. Gordo scoffed inwardly. Ethan...thinking deep. That was a change.  
  
"You and Lizzie have been kida tight for the middle school time and now I think that you are both scared to venture into the unknown territory of dating." Gordo and Larry looked over at each other---impressed.  
  
"You know Ethan, this day doesn't come often, but I think that you are actually right."  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
As the four girls walked through the front door, Jo was there to greet them all, with Roxy's suitcases in hand. Jo paused though, as she looked over at Kate. Her eyes widened. Lizzie smiled and motioned to her old friend.  
  
"Mom, is it alright if Kate hangs around for our Oreo Group?" Jo smiled a broad smile.  
  
"Of course it is!" Lizzie and the girls gathered into the kitchen to grab all of the junk food that they could find, and ran upstairs giggling. Sam walked through the front door and gazed in curiosity up the stairwell. He pointed the newspaper up in that direction.  
  
"Was that Kate?" Jo nodded. Sam shook his head.  
  
"Things definately are changing around here."  
  
Lizzie flopped onto her bed and the others gathered in a semi-circle around her room.  
  
(AN-- [stuffs food in her mouth and has nailpolish in hand] It's like the good old days all over again.)  
  
Miranda and Roxy pulled open a bag of the traditional Oreos and picked out some. Kate popped open a soda and sat Indian style next to Roxy.   
  
"So," Roxy began officially, "let us begin. I would like to congratulate Kate on her descision to be in the Group, we all welcome you!" Kate pretended to accept this praise with her highest regard. After studying for an hour, Lizzie grumbled.  
  
"The periodic table...ugh." Roxy tossed her book aside and so did the other three. They all sat and stared at Lizzie.  
  
"What?" Roxy smiled.  
  
"Gordo....so, spill." Lizzie blushed slightly.  
  
(AN-- [opens book and props it in front of face] Couldn't we just stick to the periodic table?)  
  
"I mean, why don't you and Gordo give this dating thing a try? You two are totally MFEO!" (Author's note-- I couldn't resist! I love the movie Sleepless in Seattle, and this is where Roxy's line came from. Go on now, continue to read!)  
  
Lizzie sighed inwardly. Everything in her wanted to date Gordo, so why was she afraid to take the plunge? Kate twisted on the carpet.  
  
"I am so not ready for this test on Friday." Roxy nodded her head in agreement. Miranda smiled mischieviously.  
  
"You guys know where I go to help me study?"  
  
"Digital Bean?"  
  
"No, I go to the park over on Blossom Street. It really helps you relax." The group thought about this and decided to renew their inner child, as they headed off to the park.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
"Gordon man, I think that we need more grub here," Ethan replied after glancing in the Gordon's fridge. Gordo scoffed and Larry shook his head in disbelief.  
  
"Ethan, man, you polished off a pizza and are still hungry?" Larry asked. Ethan nodded and patted his stomach. Gordo grabbed his house keys and grumbled.  
  
"Let's go to that vender down by the park for hotdogs...my treat."  
  
***********************************************************************  
  
Will Gordo and Lizzie meet up with each other? What'll happen? Read later! 


	6. The Oreo Group Part 2

The Oreo Group, Part 2  
  
***********************************************************************  
  
Previously, Lizzie and Gordo talked about each other at different houses. Miranda and Ethan both suggested going to the park, where both best friends would be. What will happen? Hey, don't look at me! Read this.  
  
***********************************************************************  
  
"Look, there he is!"  
  
"Look, there she is!"  
  
"Go talk to him!"  
  
"Go talk to her!"  
  
This is what Lizzie and Gordo heard from their friends as they arrived at the park. Lizzie and Gordo both rolled their eyes as the friends pushed them to the swingset where a happy toddler was playing. As the youngster saw the older kids he rushed off to his mother--terrified.  
  
Lizzie sat down on a swing as Ethan shoved Gordo down on another one right next to her. The group of guys and girls stared, arms folded across their chests expectantly.  
  
"Well?" they asked together. Gordo smiled and spoke.  
  
"Lizzie and I have some foreign country issues to work out, so if you guys wouldn't mind scooting, we'd be more than happy to talk to each other. Ethan looked puzzled.  
  
"Foreign country? Dude, I thought that you two had to talk about...." Kate shoved Ethan away with a quick apologetic smile over her shoulder and the group disappeared. Gordo seemed amazingly intent on the sand below his swing.  
  
"Lizzie, I don't know how to start this..." he began. Lizzie held up her hands and smiled knowingly. Her hazel eyes twinkled in the sunlight.  
  
"Let me guess....it has something to do with Rome, right?" Gordo nodded.  
  
"Yeah...about that...." Lizzie pressed her lips together in concentration.  
  
"And I am guessing that it has something to do with my, our, last night there." Gordo nodded again. Lizzie continued.  
  
"And it has to do with something that I gave you on the last night in Rome, right?" Gordo nodded yet again.  
  
"Okay, let me cut to the chase then, I kissed you." Gordo nodded.  
  
"Gordo! Stop nodding and say something!" Gordo looked up and stood up from the swing, and moved behind Lizzie's swing. Lizzie dipped her head back as her blonde hair drifted in the breeze.  
  
"Sorry, but I don't think you realize how extremely uncomfortable this is for me," he said, giving her swing a light push. Lizzie turned her head around in reply.  
  
"Try me." Gordo took a deep breath.  
  
"Lizzie, do you remember that night at the murder mystery party?" Lizzie looked up to the sky as Gordo pushed her a little bit higher.  
  
*Flashback to "Clueless"*  
  
Gordo and Lizzie on her front porch after Lizzie let Gordo win the game. Gordo takes a few steps toward Lizzie, twisting his hands together.  
  
"Look, Lizzie, maybe sometime we could..." Sam opens the door, ruining the romantic mood Gordo set up.  
  
"Hey Lizzie, you're missing the eel cooking competition!" Lizzie looks confused.  
  
"Be right there dad." Sam shuts door. Lizzie pushes up her tiara thing. (Author's note-- Anyone know what that thing was called?? Oh well, let me know if ya do. Now get back to the story!)  
  
"Maybe sometime we could what?" Gordo sighs out a little.  
  
"Nothing. Just maybe we could do this again sometime."  
  
*End Flashback*  
  
"Yeah Gordo, why?" Gordo pushed Lizzie higher on the swing.  
  
"Well, I was kind of trying to ask you out." Lizzie dropped her head with a smile. That was the night that she really noticed that Gordo liked her, but she suddenly thought of something, like a lightbulb clicking on in her head.  
  
*Flashback again to "First Kiss"*  
  
"Because there is no one prettier or more fun to be with than you", Gordo had said after Lizzie's break up with Ronnie.  
  
*End flashback*  
  
Lizzie's face was puzzled. She had thought that day in the library was just to cheer her up after the breakup...but, was it?  
  
Lizzie planted her feet in the dusty sand and stopped the swing. She turned around to face Gordo's bug blue eyes. His amazing blue eyes. His...  
  
(AN-- Wait a second! [glances at robot Gordo] I just thought romantic thoughts about Gordo! [Looks at hurt robot and has sad expression on face.] And I actually..enjoyed it.)  
  
"Gordo, how long have you liked me?" Gordo shrugged and still stood there with an expression of thought mirrored in his eyes.  
  
"A long time, that's all I know."   
  
"The day that Ronnie broke up with me..."   
  
"I was going to tell you how I felt but it seemed like the wrong time to do it." Lizzie fingered her bracelet. All that time...All that time of him secretly liking her through her crush on Ethan, and Ronnie, and everything else. All that time...  
  
"Well," Lizzie began, looking up at Gordo once again, "I do like you now Gordo." Gordo's lips formed a smile, and Lizzie grinned herself.  
  
"Well, obviously I like you Lizzie,"he replied simply. Lizzie pulled herself up on the swing and threw her arms around Gordo. That was all that she really wanted to hear. She buried her face in his shoulder and fingered his curly dark hair.   
  
A chorus of 'awwws' filled the pairs eardrums. Lizzie looked up from Gordo and so did he, but the two kept their embrace. Miranda and Kate raced over and began to babble like crazy about how they both knew that the two would end up together some day. The Roxy and the boys joined them, and the entire group decided that it was time to head home after what Lizzie and Gordo could only describe as the perfect day.  
  
A curly dark head poked out from behind one of the bushes along with a sandy head. The two girls whispered:  
  
"Perfect"  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Late November....  
  
Lizzie pulled on her plaid jacket and her leather boot, hopping on one leg in search of the other boot. Jo knocked softly on the door and Lizzie smiled at her mom. Finally, Lizzie rediscovered the lost boot and pulled her backpack over her shoulder.  
  
"Bye mom!" she replied, kissing her mother's cheek. Jo nodded and went out of the room to wake up Matt.  
  
Lizzie pushed against the autumn wind to get to Roxy's house. After a fun week at Lizzie's, the rest of Roxy's family got settled into a quiet southern home at the edge of Lizzie's neighborhood. Lizzie pulled her jacket closer to her ears and rang the doorbell. Her aunt Sophie opened the door welcomingly with her black hair twisted into a bun. Lizzie noticed Trevor sitting at the foot of the spiral stairs playing a hand-held video game.  
  
"Roxy's upstairs Lizzie. Feel free to go up and see if she's ready." Lizzie started up the stairs and couldn't help but notice how awesome the new house would be for a party.  
  
Lizzie knocked on Roxy's door and Roxy answered, one eye with eyeliner on, and the other without. Roxy smiled at her cousin.  
  
"Hey Lizzie! Sorry, but I am so not ready for school yet!" Lizzie nodded, and sat herself down on Roxy's bed looking around the room, her eyes floating to Roxy's conjoining bathroom.  
  
"So," Roxy said from the bathroom, "how is the dating life?" Lizzie smiled and replied:  
  
"Good! Gordo and I had no trouble going from best friend to best friend who I happen to be dating." Roxy emerged from the bathroom with both eyes eyelined. She grabbed a choker off of her nightstand and dragged her backpack with her. Lizzie twisted uncomfortably on the bed and removed a CD that she had been sitting on. She read the title with curiosity. It was a romantic music CD.  
  
"Hey Rox, since when do you listen to 'In the Mood For Love 2'?" Roxy looked up from her backpack and her cheeks pinked slightly. She snatched the CD away from Lizzie.  
  
"Nothing...I just like to listen to it to help me sleep. It's actually quite soothing. Now, let's get going to school. Dad said that he'd drive us before going to the office." And that was the end of their coversation...or so Lizzie thought. 


	7. Horribly Claire

Chapter 6: Horribly Claire  
  
***********************************************************************  
  
Thank you to all of you who are begging, pleading, and/or threatening me to do more chapters. It means so much! lol. Well, hope you enjoy this one, after my wondeful cliffhanger! Go on now, read away!  
  
***********************************************************************  
  
Lizzie thought that she was walking on cloud 9 through the day, but sadly for her, that cloud faded into a desolate mist as soon as she saw them hovering by a classroom doorway.  
  
Claire, Brooke, and Parker. Lizzie opened her locker smoothly and with confidence. And without hitting her head on the door. That was a good thing. As she would soon discover, the only good thing. Claire spotted Lizzie and trotted toward her, flipping her hair as she went. Her big brown eyes were narrowed, and her voice was an excited form of snobby.  
  
"So, Lizzie," she purred venimously (Author's note: That would really fit her description. Oh well, READ!) "I heard that you and Gordo are like, dating now. Wow. Isn't that something Parker?" Parker flipped back her shiny hair.  
  
"Oh yeah Claire, really something." Claie continued clicking her heels in step with her other two friends. Lizzie wondered silently.  
  
(AN-- If anything in my life goes wrong, I can pretty much blame it on:  
  
a. Matt b.school or c. Claire and company)  
  
"Oh yeah Lizzie, too bad though that your new boyfriend is cheating on you." Lizzie rolled her eyes. As if she would know. Brooke sighed in a fatal attempt to reserve pity. Parker clicked her tounge in false sympathy.  
  
"Look Claire, Gordo does not cheat on me, and if he did, which he doesn't, how would you know anyway?" Claire smiled frightened Lizzie for a second. She looked pure evil at that moment.  
  
"Only because I have connections in that neighborhood and that anonomyous person says that she sees your cousin always over at Gordo's. Coincidence? I don't think so." Lizzie must have looked like she was about to trample Claire, but luckily, someone rescued her.  
  
"Step off Claire. Don't you have to be in Geometry now? Oh wait, you failed it last year," Kate said, looking extremely protective of Lizzie from behind her new friend. Claire and Kate battled it out with the death stares before Ethan stepped in. Claire immediately began to primp, right there in the hallway for Ethan. Ethan drew an arm around Lizzie and Kate's shoulders and stared at Claire.  
  
"Yo, Claire. Get a move on. And don't bug Kate or Lizzie again." Claire looked appalled and so did Lizzie and Kate. Ethan was...defending them? Parker and Brooke muttered something to Claire before they all moved on. Ethan stared after the trio and shook his head in desperation. Lizzie just smiled.  
  
(AN-- Lizzie and Company: 2, Claire and Posse: 0. Somehow, that just feels so nice!)  
  
Kate stared up at Ethan as the friends walked down the crowded hall.   
  
"Thanks for helping Ethan." Ethan smiled and waved to his football buddies.  
  
"I just was helping out, that's all. Claire is such a...." Kate smiled.  
  
"Yeah, we know Ethan. We know. Hey Lizzie, you alright?" Lizzie kept looking at her binder in her arms. Something about that conversation with Claire just didn't rub off her. The cheating part.  
  
"Kate, you don't think that Gordo would ever, you know, cheat on me do you?" Kate's eyes widened and she looked over her shoulder to where Claire was standing gossiping with Brooke.   
  
"Lizzie, come on. This is Gordo that we are talking about, and you know what? Most of the trash that Claire shoves is just that. Trash. She could gossip until her mouth fell off, but that wouldn't mean that it was true." Ethan nodded in agreement.  
  
"Lizzay, what you and Gordo have man, is like special. He wouldn't do anything to break it." Lizzie actually found herself overwhelmed with something that Ethan of all people had said. These were her friends, and boy was she glad that they were there!  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
"Roxy! Phone! It's Lizzie!" yelled up Trevor from the bottom of the huge stairway. Roxy bounded down the stairs, flipping off her CD player. She grabbed the phone from her little brother and rushed up to her room for privacy.  
  
"Hey Lizzie, what's up? You seemed kinda distant at lunch today. Like you were in Never Never Land or something."   
  
"Rox, you would tell me all of your secrets right? I mean, we are that close?" Roxy frowned.  
  
"Of course. But, why do you ask?"   
  
"Umm...well, this is going to sound stupid, but Claire seems to think that you and Gordo are..." Roxy laughed out loud to Lizzie's relief.  
  
"Me and Gordo? That is one piece of funny gossip. Come on Lizzie! You actually don't belive her, do you?" Lizzie's relief passed quickly to embarassment.  
  
"No. Of course not," she lied. Roxy nodded.  
  
"Good. Because you shouldn't." And that, after goodbye, ended that conversation. Roxy placed the phone down and wiped a bead of sweat off of her freckled forehead. She sighed and began to work on homework. She prayed that Claire would move on to a new piece of gossip before Christmas.  
  
"That was a close one."  
  
***********************************************************************  
  
Mwahahaha! Another cliff hanger! You'll have to be patient. I will get u the rest asap!  
  
:)  
  
LadeeBear 


	8. Or So We Thought

Chapter 7: Or So We Thought  
  
***********************************************************************  
  
I left you at a cliffhanger last because I depise you all. Just kidding! Well, Roxy begins to become very uneasy and Lizzie begins to grow more suspicious. What'll happen? I know the whole story, but you don't! Hahaha. So at least read this chapter to find out some more! Love you all! :)  
  
***********************************************************************  
  
Lizzie couldn't drop the feeling that something was weird whenever she talked to Roxy lately. After her reassuring phone conversation, Lizzie actually grew more worried. Like there was a knot in her stomach that kept telling her that she wasn't good enough for Gordo. So, she called up her boyfriend in hope of some assurance.  
  
"Hello?"  
  
"Hey Gordo." Lizzie was very aware of how dry her voice had become. It was as if the person on the phone wasn't her at all.  
  
"Lizzie! I missed talking to you. What's up?" Lizzie grinned. Already it was feeling good to talk to him. But suddenly, Gordo broke away.  
  
"I am so sorry Lizzie, but I gotta run now. My mom wants me to run some errands with her. Talk to you later!" There was a click, and then the dreaded silence. Lizzie stared at the phone. Gordo's mother never got home until after 6 on weeknights. Lizzie checked the clock. It was 4:04. Something inside told her that things were getting very fishy. She picked up her address book and stared at the number. Claire Miller.  
  
(AN--NO NO NO! No matter how much I think about it, Gordo would not do that to me. NEVER!)  
  
With confidence, Lizzie placed the book down on her bed and walked out of her room.   
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
"Lizzie. Hello there." Claire purred in History the next morning. Lizzie kept repeating her phrase that Ethan mentioned over and over and over. Claire slipped Lizzie a note that squeezed all of the air out of Lizzie's lungs. It read:  
  
She was over there again last night at around 4 or so. Hope you had a talk with your boyfriend.  
  
Lizzie crumpled the note, but her lungs were crumpled as well, along with her heart.  
  
"Lizzie, is something wrong?" Miranda asked during lunch. Her and Larry had been going out since the beginning of the school year and now both Larry and Lizzie had actually become friends. Lizzie picked up her sandwich but couldn't eat. Everything that Claire said wanted to make her go into the girls' room and puke.  
  
Gordo and Roxy were both gone from the table to go do some extra credit. At the beginning of lucnch they seemed so intent on each other. But maybe that was just Lizzie's imagination playing, toying with her. Or maybe it was Claire, toying with her. Like a cat plays with a mouse. And Lizzie was Claire's mouse.  
  
"Nothing's wrong. I gotta go," Lizzie replied rushed. Larry and Miranda exchanged worried glances but kept their mouths closed. It was sometimes best to work things out without saying anything.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Roxy slammed the screen door shut to her back yard and pulled the sliding glass door open. She got inside just in time to pick up the phone that was ringing.  
  
"Hey Roxy, it's me." Roxy smiled and put down her backpack, scanning the fridge for something to eat.  
  
"So, you still want to meet over at your house today?"  
  
"Naw, actually, would you mind meeting me at the mall today?" Roxy took a bite of her cookie and managed a reply.  
  
"Sure. I'll be there at around 5 or so. That okay?"   
  
"Yup. See you then Rox!" Roxy put down the phone, just to pick it up again.  
  
"Hello," she answered. Lizzie's voice rung on the other line.  
  
"Hey Roxy, I was wondering if you wanted to come over tonight to help me with Geometry. It is so boring!..." Roxy cut in.  
  
"Sorry. Can't. You know. The whole family thing..." Lizzie seemed still cheerful.  
  
"Oh, okay. I understand. Well, see you at school then!" Roxy hung up and raised her eyebrows, but just rushed upstairs to get her things together.  
  
Lizzie slammed the phone on her bed and shook her head over and over again. No, it was not true what Claire had said. So not true, she mumbled in her head as she began her homework.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
She finally cracked, like a piece of ancient pottery on the floor of a museum. Lizzie picked up the phone the Friday before Christmas break and dialed Claire Miller's number.  
  
***********************************************************************  
  
Ooh. She finally caved in. What will happen when Lizzie does talk to Claire? Well, I will try to get you there as soon as I can write it down. In the meantime, let me know what you thought of this chapter. It's a little short, but it'll be worth it in the next couple of chapters!   
  
xoxoxo  
  
LadeeBear 


	9. Or So She Thought

Chapter 8: Or So She Hoped  
  
***********************************************************************  
  
Mwahaha! Clif hanger I left you with again! Well, Lizzie cracked and decided to call her arch enemy Claire. What will happen? Read!  
  
***********************************************************************  
  
"Hello?"  
  
"Umm..."  
  
Sneer. "Lizzie. You caved in, finally." Lizzie grumbled on the other end.   
  
"Well then McGuire, meet me at the park around 3 and I'll show you your boyfriend." Lizzie grimaced. At least this little incident would prove her suspicions wrong. Or so she hoped.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Except for one girl on a desolate park bench, the park was pretty calm and normal. Lizzie smoothed out her blond hair and looked around for Claire, seeing her on the park bench. Alone. Claire was...alone.  
  
"Hi Claire," Lizzie attempted, trying hard not to sound sassy. Claire smiled with glee. This was the catch of her mouse.  
  
"Come on McGuire, my friend's house is this way." Lizzie followed her chocolate head down the familiar street of Gordo's, pausing at a house that was across the street from his. Just like Claire said.  
  
Claire knocked on the door and one of her friends opened it, flipping her hair over her shoulder as she did so. Lizzie followed Claire upstairs to a huge bedroom with a classic windowsill. The two girls smiled suspiciously. Meschieveiously almost. It was beginning to scare Lizzie. Claire offered Lizzie chips and the three girls sat down. Claire and her friend kept exchanging glances.   
  
(AN-- And I would like to thank Claire, for all that she does to ruin my life and then make me feel guilty about it.)  
  
"So. What made you come?" the girl asked, flipping her hair back, again. Lizzie just had the urge to take the nearest pair of scissors and chop the pretty blond mass off. Lizzie must have had the look of fire in her eyes, but right then Claire purred, pulling binoculars up to her eyes:  
  
"Look Lizzie." Lizzie snatched the binoculars away from Claire in time to see her cousin, part of her family, and Gordo embrace in a warm heartfelt hug at Gordo's front door. Lizzie choked back her sobs. That was it. It was over. Just like that.   
  
Claire put ten manicured fingernails on Lizzie's arm and said:  
  
"There there Lizzie. We all knew that Gordo was no good," as she winked at her friend and the girl returned the signal. Lizzie sniffed and the girl escorted her out of her house and back to the park where Lizzie sat on the same park bench that Claire had sat and cried.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
"Lizzie! Wait up!" Roxy called across the mall Christmas Eve Day. Lizzie spun around to see her cousin waving an invitation. Roxy beamed at her cousin and handed her the sealed envelope. "I already gave one to your mom because for some reason my mom said that we have to invite everyone. And that means Matt too. The part will be awesome though! My house will never be more decorated. Everyone we know will be there. I invited a ton of people! Hope you can come Lizzie. I gotta run now to go pick up my dress. Talk to you later!" As Roxy rushed off to the other end of the mall, Lizzie clenched the envelope in her hand. She was really mad at Roxy, but it wasn't showing; yet. She opened the envelope. It was Roxy's Christmas party at her new house. Normally, Lizzie would have been the first to jump up and down and make sure that everything was perfect. But this wasn't normal.  
  
Lizzie shoved her purse onto her bed and her mother walked in, the invitation at hand. She seemed so happy that it made Lizzie want to puke.  
  
"Hey hun. Roxy is so thrilled to finally have a party. I bet you're excited."  
  
(AN-- [party hat on] No, not really)  
  
"Yeah, sure mom." Lizzie's mother didn't seem to notice the tone in her voice.   
  
"Wait here Lizzie. I have something for you." Lizzie's eyes perked up for a second and she forgot all about Roxy and Gordo. Her mother came in with a dress draped over her shoulders. It was dark crimson red and velevty. It was one of those dresses that draped over one shoulder and only had a speghetti strap on the other. The bottom was a little frilly. Lizzie's eyes lit up. It was...well, the perfect dress.  
  
"Mom..." Lizzie stuttered, dumbfounded, "H-how?" Lizzie's mother just smiled.  
  
"Your father said that we could buy you something special to wear. So, I did." Lizzie touched the dress and for the first time, smiled. She was happy, until she remembered what the dress was for. Her smile dropped to a frown, and Jo just looked at her daughter, about to say something, but the doorbell rang. Sam scurried up the stairs with no other than Gordo tagging along at his heels.  
  
Jo and Sam left the pair. Gordo smiled awkwardly as Lizzie just glared at her bed. Gordo sighed.  
  
"Lizzie, is something wrong?"  
  
(AN-- Is something wrong? Is something wrong! Yes! There is something wrong!)  
  
"Yeah Gordo. You cheated on me. There is something wrong!" she stood up from her bed and tried to get out of her room. Gordo took her shoulders and stopped her. Gordo looked at Lizzie's eyes. They were tear-filled. He had never seen her this way before.  
  
"What would make you think that I would ever do that to you Lizzie?" he asked sincerely. Lizzie's jaw clenched.  
  
"Because I saw you and Roxy over at your house." Gordo loosened his grip on Lizzie's arm. His face fell.  
  
"Oh. About that..." Lizzie's eyes were masked with anger, hurt, and confusion. Gordo held his hand up to silence whatever she was about to say.  
  
"Never mind Lizzie," he said with hurt in his voice. "I'll show myself out." And he walked out of the door. Just like that.  
  
***********************************************************************  
  
Oh....it's sooooo sad that I want to cry....well, not really. Cause I know that this isn't the end. Two more chapters!!! You love me for these cliffhangers. I can tell in the threatening and violent responses that I get. lol. Let me know how you like this chapter and I will get u the rest whenever I am able to. Lots of Love!  
  
xoxoxo  
  
LadeeBear 


	10. Don't Think, Know

Chapter 9: Don't Think, Know  
  
***********************************************************************  
  
When we last saw Lizzie, she had expressed her anger towards Gordo, and had not even attempted to with her cousin. Will she? How should you know? Why am I asking you such unanswerable questions? Why don't you just read for now?  
  
***********************************************************************  
  
The day was over and Lizzie felt miserable. Not that she thought that being abanodned by her boyfriend, having her cousin lie to her and seeing Claire as happy as she was would make her happy. Not one iota. So, she was surprised at the knock on her bedroom door, and even more surprised to find out that it was no other than Matt standing in the shadows with a peace offering. Cookies.  
  
(AN-- Why does everything in this house revolve around cookies?)  
  
"Can I come in Lizzie? Mom sent me up." Lizzie nodded and reached for a tissue. Matt placed the cookies on her desk and paused. He had to do something. It was that good little angelic Matt inside of him. He sat down on Lizzie's floor, indian-style.  
  
"Lizzie. What's up?" Lizzie looked at her brother, not sure what to make of the sudden new change in his personality. Maybe Matt was finally growing up. Lizzie shook her head, depressed, and thought: No, growing up only gets tougher, and in situations like this, I just wish that I was his age again.  
  
"You don't know how complicated my life is twerp," Lizzie muttered with anger. Matt narrowed his eyes and brushed his spiky hair on top of his head with the back of his hand.  
  
"Try me."  
  
"Fine. But you wouldn't understand." Matt lowered his voice.  
  
"Try me."  
  
"Alright already. Gordo and I are having a...."  
  
"Fight."  
  
"Yeah, a fight. And it is about this thing...about the truth."  
  
"Uh-huh."  
  
"Yeah, about the truth, he is not telling me."  
  
"So to sum it up, you think that Gordo is lying to you?"  
  
"Not think, weasel, know."  
  
"And how do you know?"  
  
"I kind of saw him...lying."  
  
"How can you see someone lying?" Lizzie threw up her hands.  
  
"I saw him at this girls house." Matt nodded.  
  
"And?..." Lizzie looked appalled.  
  
"And?! And he hugged this girl, and he had been over at this girls house for the last week, and this girl is our cousin!" Matt looked even more appalled than Lizzie had.  
  
"You think that Roxy and Gordo are...dating?" Lizzie looked at her feet and then back up at her brother.  
  
"Not think, know." Suddenly, Trevor appeared into the room, calling Matt to rejoin him to play a video game. Matt left Lizzie's room in silence and shut the door. Trevor looked at Matt with question.  
  
"Does she know yet?" Matt nodded his head.  
  
"She does now."  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
It was Christmas Eve and Lizzie tried to be cheerful as she could be while opening her gifts from her family as Santa Claus was absent from the family and had been for years. That night was scheduled to be Roxy's party. Lizzie took a shower and towel dried her hair and slipped on the perfect dress and the perfect necklace and the perfect shoes. Now all she needed to match it was the perfect smile, which she seemed to have misplaced under the piles of tears.  
  
There was a knock on the door and Lizzie remembered that she was assigned to help Roxy with her make-up before the party. Would joy ever cease?  
  
Roxy looked slightly nervous as she entered the bedroom. There was tension in the air between the cousins.  
  
"Lizzie, Gordo told me what happened..." Roxy began with a glance at the mirror. Lizzie started to fume inwardly.  
  
"Oh, and what did he tell you?" she asked twisting off the cap to her tube of lip gloss.  
  
"Lizzie, it's not what you think..." Lizzie slammed the tube down and glared at her cousin.  
  
"Not what I think? Then what is it Roxy?!" Roxy stared at her toes.  
  
"I can't even begin to tell you how upset I am..."Roxy began again.  
  
"How upset you are? God Roxy! Is that all you ever think about! Yourself?" Roxy's cheeks darkened.  
  
"You are being such a..."  
  
"Such a what Roxy? Cause I do know what you are being. You are being a creepy, boyfriend stealer who is jealous of me." Roxy shook her head in disgust.  
  
"Me? Jealous of you Lizzie McGuire? You are the one who takes advice from Claure Miller! But you know what? Forget it. Because I could not even stand to look at you one more second Lizzie. You make me sick." And with that, Roxy slammed the door shut, as Lizzie turned pale. What had she done?  
  
***********************************************************************  
  
Another cliff hanger! Torture I know. Let me know what you think! Later days! I'll be back with the finale soon!  
  
xoxoxo  
  
LadeeBear 


	11. Over At Last

Chapter 10: Over At Last  
  
***********************************************************************  
  
Last chapter! Have fun with it and let me know if you want more of my writing. Have fun with the end! Thanks for all the comments so far! You make my day!  
  
***********************************************************************  
  
Lizzie raced to the door and placed her hand on the knob. As she turned it she found herself looking at Roxy who had a small sarcastic grin on her face. Lizzie laughed herself and ushered Roxy back in. Roxy sat at the edge of Lizzie's bed and looked at her cousin seriously.  
  
"Lizzie, you should have trusted me. I always trusted you." Lizzie looked down at her hands and sighed.  
  
"It was hard to when I was faced with all the facts." Roxy shrugged.  
  
"I forgive you." Lizzie smiled and sat down by her cousin.  
  
"So what were you doing at Gordo's?" Roxy looked at her shoes and then up at Lizzie's eyes.  
  
"I can't say. You just have to trust me." Lizzie opened her mouth and slowly shut it.  
  
"I do. Now." Roxy smiled and Lizzie looked like she had one more thing to say.  
  
"Cousins?" she asked, extending her hand. Roxy looked at it appalled. She took the hand.  
  
"No...friends for life," she stated, and drew the handshake into a hug. The two girls laughed and then did their make-up together.  
  
(AN-- And everything is happily ever after....except with Gordo. Great.)  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Roxy, Matt and Lizzie stepped out of the van that the traveled in to get to Roxy's house. The front was decorated with frosty lights and white reindeer. Not for the first time she wished that she had been a part of all of the festivities.  
  
Roxy was right when she said that she had invited almost everyone that she knew! Lizzie spotted Kate in a glittery silver party dress, and Kate smiled at her politely. Lizzie moved over to talk with her.  
  
"Hey, long time no see McGuire." Lizzie nodded, and picked up a glass of punch.  
  
"Yeah, but I'm here now, aren't I?" Kate gave a smile.  
  
"I'd sure hope so." Lizzie was baffled and before she could analyze Kate's comment, Miranda and Larry came up next to the table.  
  
"Lizzie! That dress is amazing!" Miranda commented. Lizzie flashed her a smile and spun. Miranda spun around to reveal her dress. A flawless dark green one that had a cute matching scarf. Larry raised his eyebrows at Lizzie.  
  
"Haven't seen much of you lately!" he replied with a smile. Lizzie returned the smile. She was absent for like a week, and already they missed her like she had disappeared forever. As Lizzie looked around the room, her face dropped slightly. There was no sign of Gordo anywhere. Kate noticed Lizzie's gazing.  
  
"He had some family thing that he had to do tonight. He stopped by before he left for Christmas break, but...well, you weren't there." Lizzie looked at her glittery strappy shoes and they seemed to lose their glimmer at that moment. However, that didn't slow Roxy down from making sure that Lizzie had a great time. They danced until Lizzie had to take her strappy glittering shoes off because of the pain in her feet. Soon, the guests diappeared and Lizzie was scooping away punch glasses with Miranda and Kate and Roxy. Ethan and Larry, along with Matt, Melina, Trevor, and Lanny were upstairs playing video games. Roxy peered out of the window occaisionally, and that was what Lizzie began to grow suspicious of. Kate exited the room, saying that she needed to use the restroom, and that could Lizzie please clean up the plates in the living room for her?  
  
(AN-- [wearing maid's uniform] Sure Kate. Why not?)  
  
Lizzie stepped into the living room and let her hair down. This was going to be a long night of cleaning up after her friends. As she stepped into the living room, she nearly had a heart attack. Standing there was Gordo in a nice dress shirt and a smile on his face. Lizzie must have been gawking becuase Gordo laughed out loud.  
  
"Lizzie, you look like you are about to die or something. It's just me." Lizzie placed the big garbage bag down and stepped towards him, closing her mouth.  
  
"Wh-what are you doing here? Didn't you have a family thing?" Gordo looked over her shoulder to where Roxy was drying dishes. When Lizzie looked at her cousin, Roxy began to whistle guiltily. Lizzie shook her head. This was all too plotted out. Then she had to ask something.  
  
"So what was Roxy doing at your house all of those nights then?" Gordo looked at Lizzie and replied:  
  
"I'll tell you. No wait. Better yet, I'll show you." He took Lizzie's hand and Matt, who had suddenly appeared from upstairs, clicked on the radio for a slow song. Lizzie put her arms around Gordo and they began to slow dance. Matt looked pleased.  
  
"So Matt, you were in on this too?" Matt grinned.  
  
"Me and everyone else." Lizzie gawked again, feeling like a complete idiot. "...even Claire," he added.   
  
(AN-- [slaps self repeateldly] Idiot Lizzie, idiot Lizzie...)  
  
Matt left the room and went back upstairs. Lizzie smiled as Gordo moved back and forth to the rythym.  
  
"I thought you hated dancing," she replied. Gordo grinned.  
  
"Roxy taught me to like it again," he answered. Lizzie shook her head, feeling once again like a total idiot to the 100th power. Gordo opened his mouth to speak.  
  
"You know Lizzie, I have been a total jerk since Rome," he said. Lizzie looked appalled.  
  
"You?! What about me?..." Lizzie was silenced by Gordo's voice.  
  
"Lizzie, in Rome, you kissed me, and I have been such a jerk." Lizzie didn't speak because she knew that she would have been silenced anyway. Gordo reached out and brushed Lizzie's hair back from her face.  
  
"...because I never returned the favor." Lizzie's heart melted right then and there as Gordo's lips met hers. He pulled back and his face flushed with color as a chorus of 'awws' could be heard from the stairs. Lizzie and Gordo looked up to see Roxy, Miranda, Larry, Kate, Trevor, Ethan, Matt, Melina, and Lanny seated on the steps. Roxy smiled a secret smile with Lizzie.   
  
"That is the sweetest thing I will ever see!!" Kate squealed and Lizzie was glad to have her as one of her best friends again. Ethan looked up from where he was apparently fascinated with his shoes and looked confused.  
  
"What? What happened?"  
  
***********************************************************************  
  
THE END! Awww...it's happily ever after after all for Lizzie and Gordo. I had to leave you with one of Ethan's moments. ^.^ It was too good to waste. Want any more of my writings? I will be doing a 7th Heaven fan fic soon, so look for it! I love you all, thanks and put a final review out there for this chapter!   
  
xoxoxoxo  
  
LadeeBear 


End file.
